


A Slight Omission

by giselleslash



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-29
Updated: 2011-11-29
Packaged: 2017-10-26 16:06:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/285238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giselleslash/pseuds/giselleslash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on <a href="http://kinkme-merlin.livejournal.com/24606.html?thread=24875294#t24875294">this</a> Kinkme prompt: <i>Gwaine dislikes the upper class with a passion. He tells Arthur as much after (or during) their one-night-stand. Arthur keeps quiet about his wealthy background, assuming it will never work out between them anyway. When it does seem to be working out, keeping his richness secret becomes more difficult by the day. Bonus points for BFF Arthur/Merlin.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	A Slight Omission

Arthur tried to catch his breath as Gwaine rolled to his side to reach for his pack of smokes on the beside table. He offered one to Arthur who shook his head.

“Don’t smoke.”

Gwaine shrugged. “Suit yourself”

Arthur watched him light up and thought he really shouldn’t look so ridiculously sexy while doing it. Whenever Merlin used to light up before he quit a couple of years back Arthur had always made it a point to make a face at him and wave away the smoke. Of course Merlin looked like a twelve year old sneaking one of his mum’s fags out of her purse. There was no way he could pull off the naked, just been fucked glory of Gwaine. Arthur supposed, however, having known Merlin when they actually _were_ twelve might slightly hinder the level of sexiness Merlin could achieve in his eyes (which was zero levels of sexiness, negative levels of sexiness even, if that were possible).

“Fuck that was good,” Gwaine said as he stretched out and pushed his toes against the pile of sheets and blankets at the end of the bed. He made no effort whatsoever to cover himself up and the sight of him made Arthur want to start all over again.

“Best pay off from a bet ever,” Arthur said as he rolled to his side to better stare at Gwaine.

“I was a bet?”

Arthur nodded. “I’m not good at approaching people. I have to be coerced.”

Gwaine flicked off the ash from the end of his cigarette and raised an eyebrow at Arthur. “Someone that looks like you?”

Arthur shrugged but he could feel his face heat up slightly.

“Aww, you’re blushing,” Gwaine said as he ran his finger down the slope of Arthur’s nose. “So cute.”

“Fuck off,” Arthur laughed as he shoved Gwaine’s finger away.

“Well I owe whoever made that bet with you a pint, or five. Best sex I’ve had in months.”

Arthur said, “Yeah, it was fun,” before he could blush and Gwaine could tease him again. Besides, he wasn’t sure how far he should go with things between them. He was fairly certain it’d end up being a one night stand, but on the off chance it wasn’t Arthur didn’t want to fuck it up by looking too eager. It had been more than fun, it had been bloody brilliant, and Arthur wanted a second go at it.

He noticed Gwaine staring at him with a thoughtful look on his face.

“You’ve got a gorgeous mouth on you,” he said casually before taking another drag on his cigarette.

“Uh. Thanks?”

Gwaine barked out a laugh. “You’re welcome.”

Arthur just rolled his eyes. “What? How am I supposed to respond to that? That was a strangely lovely compliment. I was just about to tell you that I think your cock is brilliant and now that would just sounds trite.”

Gwaine laughed again as he rolled closer to Arthur and lightly bit at his neck. When he licked the spot he’d just mouthed a shiver worked itself up Arthur’s spine and his cock responded in kind. Arthur pushed himself against Gwaine’s naked thigh as Gwaine reached across him to snuff out his cigarette. The next thing Arthur knew he had Gwaine’s thigh working itself between his own and Gwaine’s tongue in his mouth. Gwaine’s hand on his ass pulled him closer and Arthur didn’t complain one bit, he just put his gorgeous mouth to good use.

~*~

Gwaine dragged Arthur out of bed several hours later with the promise of a fry up. He was fucking ravenous and willingly let himself be dragged. The only complaint he had was that Gwaine had to get partially dressed to cook it.

Arthur had to practically sit on his hands to keep himself from walking up behind Gwaine and slipping his hands underneath the back of his t-shirt. It was all threadbare and tight across his shoulders but it fluttered away from him at his waist and that little opening was fucking calling to Arthur’s fingers. Gwaine kept looking back over his shoulder at Arthur like he knew what he was thinking, his smile was knowing and indulgent. Arthur loved it.

“Breakfast is served, Your Highness,” Gwaine said as he plopped a plate down in front of Arthur. It was piled with food and Arthur nearly started drooling.

“My crown is getting polished otherwise I’d wear it,” Arthur grinned around a mouthful of eggs.

“I’d toss your lovely backside out if you tried wearing a crown around here.”

“Little harsh, especially considering how much you praised my lovely backside in bed.”

Gwaine shrugged. “Sorry ‘bout that. Posh people just set my teeth on edge. Didn’t mean to be so snappy about it.”

Arthur swallowed his food and watched as Gwaine ate his. He was pretty fucking glad he’d left his car at Merlin’s when they’d gone out the night before. If he’d tried to drive Gwaine and himself back to Gwaine’s in his Aston Martin he’d never have made it past the pub door.

“Oh?” Arthur mumbled.

“Elitist pricks, acting like the world is theirs because they’ve got more money than the next bloke. Like it makes a bit of difference how many bloody quids I’ve got in my pocket, right?”

“Right,” Arthur agreed, he wasn’t sure what Gwaine wanted to hear exactly.

Gwaine waved his fork around. “Ugh, forget I said anything, okay? Bad experience in the past and now I’m a bit over sensitive about stuff. I try to keep my gob shut because it’s just bloody unattractive to rant and rave, isn’t it?”

Arthur concentrated on cutting up his food and didn’t look up from his plate, but he nodded and said, “Total boner killer. I was just about to crawl under the table and suck you off to thank you for this stellar breakfast but now? Eh, probably not.”

He heard Gwaine laugh and push back his chair. Gwaine walked over to him and yanked his chair back enough so he could slide onto his lap. Arthur looked up at him then and grinned as he grabbed at Gwaine’s hips and Gwaine held Arthur’s face in his hands as he leaned down to kiss him.

“Don’t think you’re getting away that easily. No dining and ditching here,” Gwaine said against Arthur’s lips. “And the prices are fucking expensive, let me tell you.”

Arthur just laughed and agreed to pay in full.

~*~

“Did you have an enjoyable night of gay coitus?”

“Merlin. Jesus.” Arthur said as he walked past him and into his flat. “Can’t a man pick up his car keys in peace?”

“Honestly, Arthur, it’s like you don’t even know Merlin.” Arthur heard Elena call out from the kitchen, she appeared in the doorway soon after. “All he’s been talking about since you walked off with Mr. Gorgeous with the hair is the number of bummings you were likely to receive. He’s been on the phone to Leon non-stop. They’ve been whispering and gossiping like two teenage girls.”

“If you did it twice Leon wins, if you two did it three or more times I do.” Merlin said. “Even if it was only twice I’d say three if I were you because clearly I deserve to win for having faith in the power of your sexual prowess. Leon obviously thinks you’re one step away from erectile dysfunction if he thinks you can only manage to get it up twice for that one you wandered off with.”

Arthur looked to Elena for help.

“I had nothing to do with it,” she said as she held up her hands. “And neither did Morgana.”

“I should hope not. Gross.” Arthur frowned.

“She did so-” Merlin began but Elena slapped a hand over his mouth and smiled sweetly at Arthur.

“Just give me my car keys, you’re both giving me a headache.”

Elena headed toward the refrigerator and pulled them out of the shelf on the door.

“The refrigerator, Merlin?” Arthur asked.

“Well I didn’t want them to get lost.”

“I thought I’d covered that by placing them in the key dish in your entry.”

“What if someone broke in and there were your bloody car keys right there for them to steal?”

“You mean right next to your car keys as well? The ones that are still sitting out in the dish?”

“Arthur, I drive a Fiat Panda, really, whose car keys do you think they’d steal?”

Arthur just rolled his eyes at Merlin and gave Elena a kiss on the cheek when she handed over his - very cold - car keys. He started walking to the door but Merlin was practically crawling on his back he was following so closely behind him.

“I’ll tell you and Leon all about my multiple bummings tomorrow. Promise.” Arthur said as he tried to shove Merlin back into his flat.

“Multiple bummings? As in more than three?” Merlin asked hopefully.

Arthur gave Merlin another shove and quickly slipped out the door. He popped his head back in to say, “As in decidedly more than three, yes,” to Merlin who the last Arthur saw of him as he shut the door was him pumping his fist and starting in on a victory dance.

Arthur grinned as he headed down the hallway to the lift.

Silly bastard.

~*~

Arthur had left his number written on a scrap of paper he’d stuck to Gwaine’s refrigerator but he never really expected to hear back from him, so it was a surprise when his phone rang a couple of days later with a number he didn’t recognize.

“Hey,” a familiar voice came across the line. “I was wondering if you were interested in another overpriced breakfast any time soon.”

“I’m not sure the way I paid for that breakfast was entirely legal.” Arthur laughed.

“Ah, but you can’t say it wasn’t fun.”

“No, I really can’t.”

“So? You up for it?”

“Another night of debauched sexual escapades capped with eggs and sausage?”

“If that’s how you commonly describe a date, then yes. Although I must say you’re rather slutty, aren’t you?”

Arthur sat down at the word, ‘date’. He had sincerely believed Gwaine had called for a booty call and not much else. The fact that he was throwing around the word, ‘date’ all casual-like confused Arthur.

Ignoring the bit about being slutty Arthur asked, “Are we talking a real, proper date here? With conversation not involving who should reach for the lube?”

Gwaine laughed. “Don’t dismiss the lube conversation altogether, but yes, I meant a real, proper date. I’d like to take you to dinner, if you’d like.”

“Yeah, I’d like.”

“Yeah?” Arthur could hear the smile in Gwaine’s voice and it made him smile too. “Okay. Great. A proper date with a meal and possibly even a film. I think we could be onto something here, Arthur. I’m not sure anyone else has considered a meal and a film date before. We could very well be dating pioneers with this.”

Arthur laughed. “I know. Who knew you didn’t just go straight to the blow jobs on a date? Certainly not me.”

“And aren’t I thankful for it.”

Arthur could feel his skin heat up and for some reason felt the need to blurt out to Gwaine, “I’m not normally like that - with the whole, _‘hello, I’m Arthur, let me blow you’_ thing - I’m, well, not like that.”

“Are you saying you’re not that kind of boy?” There was a teasing tone to Gwaine’s voice that Arthur found himself liking.

“Maybe. Possibly.” Arthur sighed. “Yeah. I’m a prude, okay.”

“I kind of got that from your somewhat confused departure the other day. The whole bit where you tried to shake my hand and wish me a good day was particularly endearing.”

“Oh god,” Arthur moaned as he dropped his head onto the table.

“And,” Gwaine continued. “I happen to really like prudes. They make me horny if I’m being completely honest.”

Arthur laughed. “They do not.”

“They do. I’m telling the absolute truth.”

“How about I pretend like I believe you and we just move on from this very embarrassing moment?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Gwaine said. “But full disclosure here, I’d agree to pretty much anything at this point just to see that mouth of yours again.”

Arthur didn’t exactly know what to say to that so he ended up saying nothing as Gwaine laughed on the other end of the phone.

“It’s like you’ve never been complimented before. Makes me want to say all manner of things to you over dinner.”

“Watch yourself,” Arthur finally managed to get out, “or we won’t be having that lube conversation because I’ll have left you sitting forlorn at the restaurant.”

“I’ll take my chances.” And again Arthur could hear the smile in Gwaine’s voice.

“The famous last words of a man who doesn’t want to get laid.”

“Oh, I think I’ll manage to win you over,” Gwaine said confidently. “I seem to recall something about you and the word ‘brilliant’ being spoken in reference to my cock. You wouldn’t want to miss out on that.”

“Arrogant twat.” Arthur laughed. “Just stop talking and text me with a time and place later. Your cock is quickly losing all its brilliance the longer you keep speaking.”

Arthur hung up to the sound of Gwaine’s laughing agreement in his ear.

~*~

Arthur made sure to leave his car at home and take the tube to the restaurant Gwaine had texted him about. He’d felt like an idiot as he took way too long to get ready for the night. He didn’t want to wear anything that looked too obviously expensive or designer and he’d even been tempted to call Leon or Merlin to borrow something from them. Merlin’s wardrobe probably would’ve worked best since he had a truly tragic collection of clothes he’d owned since his mum bought them for him when he was fifteen but Arthur didn’t really think showing up in a Christina Aguilera concert t-shirt that barely covered his stomach was his best option.

But the thing was he just didn’t know where all of this between him and Gwaine was heading. He’d been wrong about the one night stand thing and now he was walking toward a restaurant for their first date. If he knew it was going to be just a handful of dates lying about his wealth wouldn’t have bothered Arthur so much. He’d never had to hide it before but it wasn’t something that was forefront in his mind either. He knew it probably made him sound like an over-privileged arsehole but Arthur never really thought about his money. It was simply there. All of his friends knew he had it and he was always generous with it and while it might bug them from time to time whenever Arthur would swoop in and pay the bill for everyone they’d come to accept it as a kindness rather than a showing off on Arthur’s part.

Gwaine had been so vehement though about his dislike for the world Arthur was a part of that he had automatically hid it. The decision not to say anything to Gwaine had been a subconscious one. Arthur told himself he wasn’t flat out lying, he was just holding back the truth a bit. He decided to take it day by day and play it by ear. Why tell Gwaine and potentially ruin a good time when he didn’t need to?

The smile and kiss Gwaine gave him upon his arrival to the restaurant sealed the deal. He wanted more of that, as much as he could get, and he was going to keep his gob shut for now.

“God, you smell good,” Gwaine said as he pressed a kiss to the side of Arthur’s neck and nosed at the hair behind his ear.

“Hm,” Arthur hummed. “So do you. Taste good too.”

Gwaine smiled at him and kissed him again before grabbing his hand and leading him over to the table where he’d been sitting.

“This place is bloody fantastic, the food’s absolutely delicious. Cheap too.” Gwaine said as he sat down after rolling his eyes at Arthur and snorting when Arthur pulled out his chair for him.

Arthur looked around at the grungy restaurant. It wasn’t exactly a five star restaurant and was hardly the type of place he was used to frequenting, but he’d spent his uni years living with Merlin and had been to far dodgier places.

They ordered. And they talked. First Gwaine would ramble on, then Arthur. They only stopped to eat their food which Arthur conceded was really fucking good.

Arthur learned Gwaine had a much younger sister who he clearly adored if the way his eyes lit up when he talked about her was any indication. He also heard a great deal about Gwaine’s favorite customers that came to his music shop. Arthur hadn’t known he owned his own place. Gwaine assured him it was filled to the brim with proper music and instruments and barely made him enough money to pay his bills but he loved it anyway. When Gwaine had asked what he did for a living Arthur, in a panic, thought of Merlin and told Gwaine that he taught sixth form history. He felt like an absolute ass as he said it but he doubted Gwaine would’ve appreciated the actual answer.

In reality he worked with Morgana to head the charitable division of their father’s company. It had been a compromise on both his and his father’s part. Arthur had wanted to go build wells in Africa and his father wanted to disabuse him of his _‘hippie dippy notions’_ and have him work for the company. They met somewhat contentiously in the middle; neither one happy, but not exactly discontented either.

Gwaine smiled at the news and told Arthur his sister Fiona was in sixth form. Arthur quickly asked what college she attended to make sure he said he worked elsewhere. It’d be just his luck to choose the school Fiona attended.

Despite that one not-so-insignificant blip, the evening went well. More than well, actually, and when Gwaine automatically got in line to buy them candy and the largest popcorn he could get even though they’d just eaten a huge dinner Arthur knew he was fucked. Big time fucked. He spent the movie focused on Gwaine’s hand resting lightly on his thigh and the fact that he’d just lied through his teeth to him. Arthur could hear explosions blaring from the film but all he could do was stare at Gwaine’s profile and try to drum up the courage to lean into him and say, _’I lied, but I’ll make it better. I’ll tell you everything. Promise. Just don’t walk away.’_ But the courage didn’t come and the film ended and Arthur’s words were lost to kisses that tasted like popcorn and candy.

~*~

“So I told him I taught sixth form history. That’s bad, right?”

“Arthur,” Morgana sighed at the same time Merlin asked, “Are you an idiot?” Arthur wasn’t particularly happy to have the two of them in stereo.

“Well I told you how he was about money and all of that, what was I supposed to do?”

“Think with your brain and not your cock?” suggested Merlin.

“Helpful, Merlin, as always.”

“You obviously enjoyed some naked time together last night after your lie-filled first date, you’ve got that creepy, pervy look about you, so, yes, you were thinking with your cock.”

“Not that I want to get into a discussion focused around your cock, but Merlin’s right,” Morgana said. “You’re being a literal dickhead about it.”

“It’s not just the sex,” Arthur insisted. “I like him, and yeah, he’s hot and I can’t stop thinking about him naked when I look at him, but I want to do things with him with our clothes on as well. That must count for something?”

“Good intentions mean shit when you’re lying about a very significant part of yourself. He’s not going to thank you for lying to him and telling him what you think he wants to hear.” Morgana said.

“Well when I thought it was just going to be that one time I didn’t think it really mattered what I told him, but then he went and asked me out on a proper date and then another one again this morning before I left.”

“Oh, so it’s his fault you have to lie?” Merlin asked. “Yeah, sound reasoning there, Arthur.”

“I didn’t say that, now did I?”

“Close enough,” Morgana said.

“You know I hate it when you two agree. It’s rather soul-sucking.”

“I’m so sorry our pointing out your horribleness as a person is making you unhappy,” Morgana said as Merlin laughed.

“The two of you being giddy about it is horrible too.” Arthur said.

Merlin gave Arthur a look. “Our horrible isn’t as horrible as your horrible so we still win.”

“I’m ignoring your nonsense, Merlin, and asking you both what I should do.”

“You could always quit your job and go back to school,” Merlin started counting off on his fingers, “get your teaching qualifications, apply, interview, and be accepted as a sixth form history teacher, actually teach said sixth form students history and then you wouldn’t be a lying twat at all. Sounds simple enough.”

“Your sarcasm is duly noted, Merlin. Thanks.”

Morgana reached out and grabbed Arthur’s hand. “Just tell him, Arthur. Isn’t it going to be about a thousand times worse the longer you wait?”

“I just don’t want it to end before it even gets started. He’s the first person I’ve thought could possibly be more since- .” Arthur stopped and looked down at their hands.

“Since Lance,” Morgana quietly finished for him. “I know, ducks, and we’re all happy for it. You’ve been such a sad sack since the two of you broke up- .”

“Pathetic, really,” Merlin helpfully put in and Morgana shoved at him.

“I’m being serious here,” she said. “I want Arthur to be happy.”

“Even though he set Timmy free and you never saw him again?” Merlin asked.

“Timmy was a turtle and I was eight, I think I’ve moved on.”

“Well, you’re a better man than I,” Merlin said but he gave Arthur a wink to let him know he was on the same page as Morgana.

He really did just want Arthur to be happy and Arthur knew that everything the two of them said to him and bitched at him about was all for his own good. Morgana had been looking out for Arthur all of his life and Merlin had been operating under the assumption he was doing the same since they were six. Arthur gave up trying to prove to Merlin that he was the one looking after Merlin and not the other way around. Merlin was an idiot.

“Yeah, yeah,” Arthur interrupted the two of them, Merlin and Morgana could go back and forth for ages and Arthur needed to redirect them. They were forever teasing Arthur that it wasn’t always about him, but in this case it was. “I’ll tell him. I will.”

“You promise?” Morgana asked.

“Don’t lie,” Merlin added.

“Pinkie swear on it,” Morgana said.

“Jesus. Yes. I promise. Pinkie swear,” Arthur said as he hooked pinkies with Morgana.

Arthur promised and pinkie swore and made all kinds of plans, but you know what they say about best laid plans.

~*~

Gwaine asked him on a third date after their second (where Arthur failed to confess) and Arthur asked Gwaine on a fourth date at the end of their third (he planned on telling Gwaine then, really). It went back and forth and before Arthur knew it they’d been together for over three months and Arthur still hadn’t told Gwaine the truth.

He felt fucking miserable about it. It made him sick at times and the truth would be on the tip of his tongue but then Gwaine would laugh until he snorted or he’d press up against Arthur’s back as he brushed his teeth in the morning and kiss him on the shoulder, his hands warm and solid against Arthur’s stomach and hip, and he couldn’t bear the thought of losing those hands.

He knew it was wrong and that the longer he waited the greater the fall out would be. Merlin and Morgana nagged him relentlessly and even Leon and Elena had taken to looking at him with pitying and disappointed expressions whenever he’d bring Gwaine round for dinner.

And the thing was Arthur would think about it and think about it and then work himself up until he was pissed off at Gwaine instead. Arthur didn’t think something like the size of his bank account should matter, especially not when Gwaine’s lips were perfect and Arthur loved the tingling burn on the inside of his thighs left behind from the touch of Gwaine’s stubble. Just the thought of the pale, white skin turning pink from the scrape and drag of Gwaine’s chin as he licked a path from the inside of Arthur’s knee to his cock made him ache and feel heavy with want. Why should he lose that just because he had a bit more in the bank than most people?

Arthur finally worked up the courage to sort of address the subject one Sunday morning as they laid in bed and ate sugary cereal from a mixing bowl balanced on Gwaine’s stomach. Gwaine had laughed as he brought it into the bedroom, had called it his culinary magnum opus, and Arthur had called him an idiot.

But now they were halfway through the bowl and Arthur couldn’t stop looking at the way Gwaine’s bare foot tangled with his own. Gwaine had really ugly feet and Arthur sort of loved them. It was a good indication that he was probably a great deal further gone than he had hoped he’d be only a little over three months into a _thing_ with Gwaine, he didn’t even know if Gwaine considered it a relationship yet. He was waxing lyrical about Gwaine’s ugly feet and it made him feel ridiculous and more than a little bit ashamed.

Arthur set his spoon back in the bowl and sat up next to Gwaine. His knees were brushing against Gwaine’s side and Gwaine’s free hand absently touched the one. Arthur reached out and tugged on Gwaine’s hair and he smiled up at him through a mouthful of milk and cereal.

“Nice.” Arthur said.

“Sexy, innit?”

“Especially the milk spilling out of your mouth.”

“Remind you of anything?”

“You’ve just sullied the good name of milk. And gross.”

Gwaine just took another giant bite of cereal and let the milk drip down his chin. Arthur rolled his eyes and nudged him with his knee.

“I want to take you out for your birthday next week. Somewhere nice. I want to make you wear a tie.”

“Do you hate me?”

“No, but I’ve got a suit fetish.”

“Cute.”

“I’m serious though. I want to take you to a nice restaurant. Wine you and dine you for your birthday.”

Gwaine waved him off. “I don’t need you to waste your money on something like that.”

“It wouldn’t be a waste. It’s just one dinner.”

“I’d rather just get a burger and a beer and come back here and have you fuck me rotten. That’s my idea of the perfect birthday.”

Arthur drew a line along Gwaine’s side with his finger, said, “I suppose,” before lying down beside him again.

Gwaine looked over at him. “You sound disappointed.”

“I’m not, really, it’s just that I wanted to do something special for you.”

“Special doesn’t have to cost money or be boring and posh.”

“What’s so posh about going to a nice restaurant? Good food isn’t posh.”

“It is when it costs an entire week’s wages for a steak and a bottle of wine.”

Arthur turned away from Gwaine to lie on his back. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. “I just don’t know what your problem is with money. It’s my treat, why can’t you just enjoy it?”

“I haven’t got a problem with money.”

“You do,” Arthur insisted. “Or at least with the people who have it.”

Gwaine sat up and set the bowl on the bedside table before turning and swinging a leg over Arthur so he was straddling Arthur’s hips. “I have a problem with people with money,” Gwaine said as he leaned down, hovering over Arthur, “because they’re all dicks.”

“Oh yes, every single one of them,” Arthur said, pissed.

“Every single one I’ve had contact with,” Gwaine said.

Arthur frowned and pushed Gwaine off of him. “I’ve got to go,” he said as he rolled off the bed. “I forgot I was supposed to meet my sister for brunch.”

“Arthur. Fuck. Don’t be pissed off,” Gwaine said as he sat up. “Come back to bed.”

“I’m not pissed off, I’m just late.”

“You are,” Gwaine insisted. “And I don’t even know why. Why are we even having this conversation?”

Arthur zipped up his jeans and started buckling his belt as he shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Then stop it,” Gwaine said as he reached out to grab Arthur by the belt. He had crawled down to the foot of the bed to sit and used Arthur’s belt to pull him between his spread thighs. “You’re not late to meet your sister,” he said as he slipped his hands around Arthur, settled them on the curve of his ass, as he pressed kisses against Arthur’s still bare stomach.

“You don’t fight fairly.”

“I know.”

Gwaine’s mouth was wet against his skin, his breath warm, and Arthur twisted his fingers up in Gwaine’s hair.

“You’re a shit.”

“I know.”

“Quit saying that. I actually am quite pissed off at you, you know.”

“I know.”

Arthur could hear, could feel, Gwaine’s laughter against his stomach and he tugged none-too-gently on his hair. It only made Gwaine laugh harder.

“Come back to bed, you little bitch.” Gwaine said as he laid back and pulled Arthur down with him.

Arthur settled between Gwaine’s thighs and looked down at him. “Really pissed off.” Arthur felt like he needed to repeat it.

Gwaine leaned up and bit at Arthur’s lower lip. “Hm, mm.”

“Fuck you,” Arthur said as he kissed him.

Gwaine just wrapped his legs around Arthur’s hips and pulled him closer, kissed him more deeply. “Fuck you too.”

A few sweaty minutes later Arthur wasn’t mad any longer and wasn’t a damn bit closer to figuring out how to tell Gwaine who he really was.

~*~

“So I think I might be a little bit in love with him.”

“ _Arthur._ ”

“Not all the way, just a little bit.”

“There’s never just, ‘a little bit’ with you, Arthur,” Morgana said. “You’re always in everything over your head.”

“Well I’m only up to my waist this time, so shut it.”

“I think you meant to say up to your cock,” Merlin said.

“Thank you for chiming in, Merlin.”

“Welcome.”

Arthur ignored Merlin and addressed Morgana. “We had our first fight. Sort of. And even when I was arsed off at him I still wanted to kiss his annoying, infuriating, irrational mouth. And it wasn’t even a _good_ fight. He didn’t even shout, nobody threw anything -.”

“I think you watch too much daytime telly, Arthur,” Merlin said.

“He’s irrational,” Arthur continued on. “It’s irrational to hate everyone who has some money. It makes no sense whatsoever and he’s being an irrational, stupid fuckwit.”

“Have you even bothered to ask him why he’s an irrational, stupid fuckwit?” Morgana asked.

“Yes, I have,” Arthur said. Morgana looked at him. “Well, maybe not directly. Perhaps not even indirectly. Okay. No. No, I have not. Still, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care what his excuse is.”

“If you start to cry that you just want him to love you I’m out of here,” Merlin said.

“I don’t cry.”

“That’s because you’re emotionally stunted, ducks,” Morgana said as she patted Arthur on the head.

“Yes. Well.” Arthur sat down on the chair across from Morgana and Merlin. “I just want to be emotionally stunted with him.”

“Yeah, I think he’s going to cry,” Merlin nodded.

“If you’re going to continue to be unhelpful I’d rather you just go home and send Elena in your place.” Arthur said.

“As if she’d be any better. She’d laugh at you.” Merlin said.

“Ugh. You’re right. You’re both vile people.”

“It’s a wonder you’re friends with us. It just goes to show how poor you are at making relationship decisions. And that leads me back to Gwaine.” Which it really didn’t but Merlin was utter crap at segues anyway. “Tell him, or I will. With great pleasure.”

“I second that.” Morgana said.

“I’m dumping you both for Leon.”

“You’re only doing that because he’s a big, dumb idiot who coddles you,” Morgana said.

“Jesus. You kiss him with that mouth?” Arthur asked.

“I didn’t say I didn’t love big, dumb idiots.”

“Who coddle,” Merlin added.

“Who coddle,” Morgana repeated. “I know he’s shit at saying no to anyone and looks utterly panicked any time he’s called on to give emotional aid of any kind, but he tries. Bless him.”

“Well then,” Arthur said. “Can _he_ tell Gwaine about my money? I’m sure I can frighten him into doing it.”

“Not a chance,” Merlin said. “All Morgana’ll have to do is look at him and you’d be out of luck.”

Arthur slid down in his chair and fiddled with the mug sitting on the table in front of him. “I’m going to have to tell him.”

“‘Fraid so, ducks,” Morgana said at the same time Merlin said, “Well, fucking _duh_.”

~*~

Arthur let himself into Gwaine’s flat. Gwaine never locked his door and Arthur was forever telling him he was going to get robbed. Gwaine would just look up at Arthur and raise an eyebrow as he said, _’Or some crazy person could just walk right in.’_ Arthur would just roll his eyes at Gwaine and then lock the door behind him.

Gwaine looked up from the book he was reading on the couch.

“Hey, Lips.”

“Ugh,” Arthur groaned as he kicked lightly at Gwaine’s bare foot. “I hate it when you call me that.”

“I know,” Gwaine said as he set his book aside and grinned up at Arthur as he grabbed him by his belt loops. “It’s why I keep doing it.”

“You’re an ass,” Arthur said as he let himself be pulled down to Gwaine’s lap, his legs straddling Gwaine’s as he settled onto his lap.

“I think you meant to say, _’you’re awesome’_.”

Arthur laughed as Gwaine’s hands tightened at his hips and he leaned down to kiss him.

“If you say so.”

Gwaine gave him a look but let the subject drop as he gave Arthur’s hip a light slap.

“What’s up?”

Arthur shrugged, ran his hand through Gwaine’s hair. “Nothing, really.”

Gwaine looked up at him. “Doesn’t sound that way.” He grabbed Arthur’s hand and brought it down into their laps. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

“This thing with us,” Arthur lightly tapped Gwaine’s chest with the back of his free hand. “It’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s good. Definitely good.”

Arthur smiled. “I was embarrassingly keen on you that first night.”

“And you proved your point quite nicely, I’d say. Rather slutty, you were.” Gwaine teased.

Arthur hit Gwaine in the chest again, harder this time, and laughed. “Dick.”

Gwaine laid his head against the back of the couch so he could keep looking up at Arthur. He moved his hand to sweep his finger up and down the slope of Arthur’s nose, a gesture Arthur had come to love.

“Talk to me,” Gwaine said.

Arthur took a breath and decided it was now or never. He had to man the fuck up and just get everything out in the open.

“I need to ask you something,” Arthur said.

“Anything.”

“From some of the things you’ve said, that first night, and other times, I just -. I want to know why it is that you hate people with money so much. It doesn’t make any sense. What I know of you, I -.” Arthur stumbled over his words. “Nothing you say about the subject makes any kind of sense to me at all.”

Gwaine frowned. “Fuck, Arthur. I don’t want to talk about shit like that. It makes me angry and I just want to sit here with you and do fuck all.”

“Tell me why, I want to know.” Arthur was in for it now and he wasn’t going to let Gwaine sidetrack him.

“God. Fine. Alright,” Gwaine said as he pushed Arthur off his lap. Arthur settled himself next to Gwaine instead as he watched him lean forward, put his elbows on his knees and run his hands through his hair.

“I’m not doing this without a reason,” Arthur said, as if that made it easier or better for Gwaine.

Gwaine waved him off with his hand. “Yeah, I’ve got a bad feeling about it too, your reason.”

“Tell me.” Arthur repeated.

Gwaine turned to look Arthur in the eyes. “Short version; my dad used to have money, he lost it, and was treated like a fucking leper afterward by the people that were supposedly his friends. Our friends. Rich bastards that shit all over us once we weren’t one of them any more.”

Arthur’s stomach twisted up. He’d had a feeling it was personal but didn’t realize just how deeply so. He reached out to touch Gwaine’s leg but he shifted it away from Arthur.

“Not one of them helped us, reached out to us. It nearly killed my mum, Fee cried all the time because her friends didn’t come over to play any more. How do you explain people’s selfishness and vanity to a five year old? And my dad. Jesus. My dad. I could see his humiliation, how embarrassed he was, and I hated everyone that made him look that way.”

Arthur moved closer to Gwaine, pressed his knee against the side of Gwaine’s leg. “But not everyone is like that -.”

“They are to me, Arthur,” Gwaine said as he got up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen.

Arthur followed.

“So every rich person is condemned because of what happened to your family? There are bad people everywhere, Gwaine. And good.”

“Don’t dismiss my feelings like that.”

“I’m not dismissing them. I’d never dismiss them -.”

“But you’re excusing what they did.” Gwaine’s voice was raising and Arthur was letting himself get angry in return.

“In no way am I excusing them,” he nearly shouted. “Where did you get that? You’re hearing what you want to hear.”

Gwaine turned angry eyes on him. “Why do you even care? Why does it matter so much to you?”

There was accusation in Gwaine’s voice and Arthur knew he knew something was wrong so he just went ahead and spilled everything. There was no use tiptoeing around it now.

“Because my last name isn’t Penn, like I told you. It’s Pendragon, as in Pendragon Industries. I’ve got loads of money. Loads. It’s why we never go back to mine, not because it’s too far away, or a hassle with the trains, but because of where it is. And I care because I care about this.” Arthur waved his hand around between the two of them. “This thing with us and I didn’t want to lose it.”

“So you lied.” Gwaine’s voice was flat.

“Because you’re so irrational -.”

“Oh, so it’s _my_ fault you lied. Brilliant, Arthur.” Gwaine’s voice was suddenly dripping with sarcasm and anger.

“I know I’m fucking saying everything wrong. I know it,” Arthur shouted. “But I didn’t think it’d matter at first. I thought we were a one time deal. It was still stupid but what harm was there in it? Don’t tell me you’ve never lied to a one night stand before because I won’t fucking believe it.”

“I’m not pretending to be a saint here, and yeah, of course I’ve lied, but what about when we stopped being a one night thing? What made you think it was fucking okay to keep on lying to me?”

“I didn’t know where we were going, maybe it’d only been a couple more dates, what then? I didn’t know.”

“But that was three months ago, Arthur. You’ve had three months to figure it the fuck out.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m a fucking asshole, a’right? I know that. But I really fucking like you and I didn’t want to ruin it all, it’s why I’m telling you now, before we get any deeper. I want everything clear between us.”

“But see, that’s the thing, Arthur, we’re not getting any deeper because I’m out. I’m done. You fucking _lied_ to me and just proved my point so well done on that.”

“You’re done?” Arthur shouted. “You’re _done_? Just like that? You’re not even going to try to listen to me?”

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say.”

“You’re a fucking dick, you know that? Why is having more money in the bank than you first thought so unforgivable?”

“You _lied_.”

“And you know the reason why. I didn’t cheat on you, I didn’t -.”

“Do you want a medal for that? Oh, I didn’t cheat on you so it’s okay even though I lied about who I am?”

“But I didn’t lie about that. My money isn’t any part of who I am, everything you know about me is the truth. I didn’t suddenly change into another person.”

Gwaine looked at Arthur, exhaustion clear in his face. “But it makes me think you’ll lie to me about other things.”

Arthur rubbed at his eyes and sighed. “Everyone lies.”

“White lies, about things that don’t matter, but this matters, Arthur.”

“Of course it matters, but it shouldn’t be the breaking point. It shouldn’t matter _that_ much. You should want to be with me enough to try -.”

“To try to forgive you?” Gwaine asked. “I can forgive you a lot of things, like the fact that you pretend to know the bands I’m talking about but you really haven’t a clue and your iPod is full of Journey -.”

Arthur barked out a broken laugh and moved closer to Gwaine, grabbed onto his hand. “And Lady Gaga, you know I love her.”

Gwaine half-heartedly tried to pull his hand out of Arthur’s grip. “I can forgive you your shit taste in music,” he said, “and that I know you hate my curry.”

Arthur wrapped his arms around Gwaine and pressed his face into the crook of his neck. “I really, really hate your curry. It’s truly awful.”

Gwaine made a choked sort of sound before he grabbed onto the back of Arthur’s t-shirt, balled it up in his fists, tugged at it as if he were trying to hold on and pry his hands off of Arthur at the same time.

“I can forgive you those things, Arthur. I can.” Gwaine’s voice was low in Arthur’s ear.

“Then forgive me this.” Arthur begged. “Please forgive me this. I want to be with you.”

Arthur felt Gwaine relax into his embrace for a split second, he felt him let go and hold him back, but then he was getting pushed away as Gwaine tried to separate himself from him. Arthur stumbled back a bit from the sudden loss of Gwaine’s warm body against him, and he felt cold, his chest empty without Gwaine.

Gwaine turned his back on Arthur and set about cleaning up his sink and counter which really only amounted to him banging around his dishes with such force Arthur was surprised they didn’t all shatter. When Arthur didn’t move, didn’t leave, Gwaine suddenly stopped, his shoulders slumped and body still turned away from Arthur. He spoke into the sudden quiet stillness of the room, barely a whisper.

“Go away, Arthur.”

The three words sounded so certain, so final, that Arthur was taken aback, at a loss for any words at all. He just stood there, hands hanging uselessly, awkwardly, at his sides. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, instead he nodded, though Gwaine’s back was turned toward him, and mouthed the word, _’okay’_ , and nodded again before he turned and walked away.

~*~

It had been over a week since he’d talked to Gwaine. Arthur was miserable and wasn’t trying to hide it. At all. Merlin called him a mopey bastard but still fetched him tea at every turn, Elena kept suggesting lewd texts he could send to Gwaine to try to entice him back, Morgana tsk’ed over him in fondness mixed with annoyed exasperation, and Leon stuttered.

It was all very sweet, and Arthur appreciated it, but it still wasn’t going to make him stop being miserable and lonely and a bit psychotic as well. He tended to go from bouts of anger; fuck Gwaine and fuck his stubbornness, to bouts of pathetic desperation; he was willing to beg, really, to bouts of pure, unadulterated loneliness.

He _missed_ Gwaine. He fucking missed him like mad. There wasn’t anyone that could take his place, could make him feel that rush of just, well, fucking _everything_ that Gwaine did. And it wasn’t just the sex, although he’d be a delusional bastard to say that wasn’t part of it, but it was the fact that he hadn’t once, in an entire week, woken up with Gwaine’s arm slung over his head and that was just fucking wrong. A million different kinds of wrong.

He missed Gwaine, and his utter failure at proper cuddling, and his tendency to read out loud, and his disgusting fucking curry. Arthur missed it all. And he was well and properly miserable.

Arthur was staring out his office window and getting absolutely nothing done when his mobile beeped at him. He nearly dropped the damn thing when he read the text Merlin sent him.

  
_(Merlin): was bringing you lunch. saw gwaine at lifts. hid behind potted plant. very stealthy. gird your loins, chap, he’s heading up._   


Arthur was torn between texting Merlin back to tell him he was an idiot and hiding under his desk.

He knew he looked like shit and wasn’t even quite sure if he’d showered that morning. He was _not_ prepared to be surprised by Gwaine.

To stop himself from running around in circles like a fucking cartoon he dropped his mobile on his desk and sat down, his gaze focused on the door. He suspected he looked like a mental case but he didn’t particularly care at that moment.

After what felt like an hour and a half his PA’s voice came over his phone’s intercom telling him that a man without an appointment was here to see him. Arthur slapped his hand over his phone hoping to hit the proper button somehow as he got out a rushed, _’Yes, fine, send him in.’_

Arthur trained his eyes on his desk but the moment he heard the door click open he looked up. Seeing Gwaine was like a rush of pure relief and a punch to the gut all at the same time.

“Hey, Lips,” Gwaine said quietly as he slipped inside Arthur’s office. Arthur’s hands clenched into fists in his lap at the familiar greeting.

 _Dammit_.

“What do you want?” Arthur tried for angry and hoped he’d managed it. When he saw Gwaine flinch a bit he figured he had.

“Would it be really fucking cliche to just say, _’you’_ and be done with it?” Gwaine looked hopeful and Arthur didn’t know what to do.

Gwaine looked dead tired and more than a little miserable too and for some reason that made Arthur feel better.

“You’re sort of in the lion’s den here, aren’t you?” Arthur said instead of answering Gwaine’s question.

Gwaine shrugged. “Suppose I am.”

“I’m surprised you managed to force yourself to come here.”

“I managed because I fucking miss you, Arthur.” Gwaine threw his hands up like he didn’t know what to do with them. He looked around him and seemed to give up as he let himself drop down into one of the chairs across from Arthur’s desk. “I was stupid, and let these prejudices, these things from the past that had nothing at all to do with you, run amok in my head and fuck everything up with you. And I just -. I miss you.” Gwaine stopped for a second, looked at Arthur. “Do you miss me at all?”

“Christ, Gwaine, ‘course I do.”

Gwaine got up from his chair and walked around to Arthur’s side of the desk. He grabbed Arthur’s hand and sat on the edge of his desk, as close to Arthur as he could get, and their knees brushed.

“See the thing is,” Gwaine said in a rush, “I fucking love Journey. And Lady Gaga. I fucking love the hell out of her. I could listen to her all damn day. And I hate my curry too, it’s dreadful. I don’t even know why I bother.”

Gwaine’s mad rambling rush hardly made any sense at all, but it did to Arthur and he squeezed Gwaine’s hand tightly. The pressure of Arthur’s hand made Gwaine stop for a moment, settle down into a slower pace.

“Do you have any idea how much I love Lady Gaga?” Gwaine asked a bit desperately.

Arthur laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, but it was fucking exactly what he wanted to hear. Exactly.

“Hopefully as much as I do,” he answered.

Gwaine laughed with relief as he grabbed Arthur by the tie and yanked him forward for a kiss.

“I’m so sorry I lied to you,” Arthur said around kisses, his words trapped against Gwaine’s lips.

“It’s okay, I understand why you did.” Gwaine kissed him again. “I’m sorry too. I thought about everything I said to you and I’m sorry.”

Arthur sunk his fingers into Gwaine’s hair, pressed their foreheads together. “We’re both massive idiots.”

Gwaine laughed. “So massive. Embarrassingly so.”

“Thank god our love for Gaga brought us around.”

Gwaine laughed again and gave Arthur a quick punch on the arm. Arthur grinned at him and pushed his hair back from his forehead.

“I know why you reacted the way you did and I know adjusting will be awkward, but we’ll figure it out, won’t we?” Arthur asked hopefully.

Gwaine looked at him with such sincerity Arthur’s heart clenched in his chest.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could,” Gwaine said.

Before Arthur could say anything Merlin’s voice squawked out of his intercom.

“Thank fuck. Arthur was one step away from locking himself away in his flat and becoming a hoarder.”

“Merlin! Jesus fuck. Have you been listening this entire time?” Arthur asked.

“Of course I have. Well, almost the entire time. I had to wait for the lift, but yeah, I heard all the good Lady Gaga bits. Which must be embarrassing for you,” Merlin added.

“You should be embarrassed for listening in on us.”

“You’re the one that doesn’t know how to work your intercom properly. The entire outer office heard you two. If it’s any consolation though we all think you’re terribly sweet, even if you sound like you’re out on a day pass.”

Gwaine was laughing by that point and all Arthur could do was roll his eyes.

“Yes, thanks, Merlin. Always helpful.”

“You’re welcome!” Merlin said cheerfully.

“Hanging up now.”

Arthur clicked off before Merlin could say anything else. He looked at Gwaine’s smiling face and said, “You do know that he comes with the package. Elena and Morgana too. It’s not too late to back out.”

Gwaine laughed and slid his finger down the slope of Arthur’s nose as he said, “Not a chance.”

Arthur’s heart nearly beat out of his chest at the feel of the familiar gesture. He smiled up at Gwaine and pulled him from his perch on Arthur’s desk and down into his lap. Gwaine landed with a laughing sprawl of arms and legs.

“Yeah, well,” Arthur said, “don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

 

~End


End file.
